Mas Bagus

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

The hurricane sucked Asevor and threw him against the tower. Down below, Jazdia waited in anticipation to blast him with another missile, but like a rubber ball, he bounced back, yet managed to stabilize himself to hover away slowly. Despite the unexpected occurrence, the elf steadied her aim. Asevor should be easier to shoot down now; his shield already had more cracks than the barrier itself.

So she string pulled, and the arrow flared, ready to be fired. The wind was a bit choppy but she could always compensate for her aim.

Until a small, red star appeared on the Wizard's staff.

The glow in her eyes faded as if the instinctual self-control in her decided that she had seen enough for now, and should work on minimizing the consequences of her failure.

Undrawing her bow in sheer disgust, Jazdia rushed to look for Cedar, who seemed to be more enraged than herself. The wind howled around him, whirling in such force it already lifted his enormous body and had him spinning mid-air.

His spinning figure raised a hand then sweep it down. And suddenly a massive downdraft roared with an increasing intensity.

"Ced! Do not pull him!" she shouted. "Stop your spell now!

The bear-shaped spinning thing above peered down. His voice echoed in the raging tempest with a mix of confusion and resolution. ''Listen lady, this kinda magic dont work that way! At this point, it's him or me, its gonna take one of us, an' 'ats 'a onluh way it' gunna stop!'

Ugh, maybe stop was not the correct word. Being mindful with her phrasing in a critical situation like this was never been her forte; on one hand, she had a message to relay, and on the other, she must not let that old wizard sniff the knowledge she had. It was all about the game of balance and she despised it.

"Ced! That wizard MUST NOT have his shield broken on this ground, or you are at risk of causing an unmanageable level of collateral! Civillians will die!"

The entire city would be damned if Cedar didn't get the message, but whatever. Climbing the stairs leading to the inner wall, Jazdia prepared her arrow and activated her comms. The last communication established was with Yvonne, and the damn thing was still with her.

Glancing down to the tower entrance, she saw Petra. The undead had the ability to propel herself up using her spectral form. That way she might be able to reach Cedar.

"Miss Rosenving, this is Jazdia. Hand my Kompass to that fancy ghost, yeah that's her. And take the others back to the keep, now!"

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

When Admiral Silas Delving arrived on the premises, his sister was sitting at the table in the middle of the room, already getting comfy without a care in the world. In front of her, a pot of tea and assortments of snacks had been served, and she immediately munched one down.

"I thought I asked you to stay there and wait for me."

Part of him wanted to reprimand her, but he realized it was probably his fault too. The fate of this mission was sealed when he decided to allow her to tag along, and Kirsten being herself should be the last person he would expect to follow an instruction.

"Sorry, should have told you earlier..."

It was nobody's fault. Her sister was not briefed about the situation; even if she was, Silas knew Kirsten would not care.
Pulling a chair on the opposite side of her, the Admiral sat down and tried to ease the situation. What was done is done.

"Fine, you win," he said in a more relaxed tone, to the delight of his sister. "We've spent this whole morning on horseback. I can spare some time for a snack, we are waiting for our horses to be delivered anyway."

It was a slightly forceful excuse. A trip from their estate to Hdur barely covered half of their journey, but Silas was just trying to appear more amicable and made their conversation sound more natural. Make no mistake, he knew exactly where they were, and not a minute passed without him rubbing the pommel of his sword.

Helping himself with a slice of sweetbread, Silas kept his eyes on a seemingly-good-natured elven man on the counter and a fastidious young girl who yelled they were now running out of croissants to sell. His sister had downed a whole serving for herself, and he now had the chance to accept the invitation.

The bread on his hand was soft, it tasted sweet, delicious, and Normal and he hated it because it was normal and delicious.

He excused himself and stood up.

"Err, brother, what's wrong?

"It's nothing," Despite saying that, Silas rallied a great effort to maintain his gentlemanly demeanor. He walked to one of the windows facing the street, expecting to see his subordinate, but he saw none of them.

The admiral turned, cold sweat trailing on his forehead when he realized that Kirsten was gone too, and at their table, there was an elven man. He waved at him, green eyes glanced as if mocking his confusion. Where is my sister? He would give the man an ultimatum, if he wanted to test him he would get it!

He blinked, then it felt like some unknown forces pulled him. The admiral instinctively gripped his sword and unsheathed it, his fair feature glowed with radiant light, and suddenly he found himself sitting on the same table. Meanwhile, Kirsten emerged behind the counter, lifting a tray full of bread and bumping fists with the Baker's human daughter. "Ohh, so that's how you make a perfect roll!" she bubbled.

The elven man was now sitting in front of him, unmoving, either waiting for Silas' next reaction or whatever. A trace of glow could be seen gradually fading in his eyes as he placed a weapon on their table; an otherworldly pistol with a tubular muzzle and body full of jagged sides. It looked heavy and solid, like something carved out of stone.

And Silas did the same, his saber rested on the table with its edge pointed at their host.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of having the Admiral of Kindeance Navy visiting my humble establishment?" he began, his voice was dignified, but lacking any musical ring the elves were famous for. "I saw you visited Master Stockton before, how was he? Quite a grumpy fellow, but honorable. I get my shipment of butter, cheese, and raisins from him."

At first, he was alerted, but now Silas stared at the man curiously. "Your concern for your neighbor is commendable, Master Baker. But believe there is something more worthy of your time than grazing on a small thing like this."

"Not a small thing, Ser Silas." said the man. "I know Master Stockton has, or-- sorry, had some ties with your family. As far as the contracts between him and your family go, I take no part in them, but Hdur is a small town, and if a single actor missing from the distribution chain, the impact on the economy would be considerable. For example, people get their staple food from me."

"Speaking like a true Kindean I see... Pardon my insensitivity, but I am afraid the best I do is to suggest you file a complaint to the constabulary if the situation affected your business somehow."

"Ah, because it was you who said that, perhaps you could help me forward my concern to your brother? Please? I am afraid after the Black Serpent incident yesterday making an appointment with Ser Aaron would be rather difficult."

"I am sure someone as resourceful as yourself would not need my help."

The elven man lets out a hearty laugh.

"An average peaceful citizen like me would always need help. To seek Peace, Sir Silas, something that perhaps insignificant for your family, but you've heard my words before. You took away peace from a not-the-most-pleasant guy around and it's the whole community who suffers the consequences. You feel me?"

"Master Baker, I am deeply sorry for your predicament, but again I am not the one who can help you, and I am here to enjoy some bread."

Baker's hallow eyes feigned no emotion when he leaned forward. Silence fell between them for a time.

"That's very noble of you. If only your Usuals had a similarly ordinary intention when they walked into my home some time ago."

"They were under my father's order."

It was simply the truth. No provocation, nor mockery whatsoever. Silas had heard about this man, heard what he could do, but seeing his unreadable eyes, he felt anxious, not threatened. Like staring at a large boulder planted on the hillside. The dangers were not yet measured and he would have a plan to deal with it. But uncertainty was still there and it echoed a clear waning; if any of them instigate a violent confrontation, both of them will die.

"True." said the man finally, still with a steely expression."That small detail was the only reason we still have this civil conversation right now, and I trust you would not follow the same mistake your father did."

"That was never my intention, I am here simply because my sister wanted some bread."

"Then I welcome you."

Despite the implied tension, it was as genuine as it gets, bringing a slight confusion to Silas who expected the situation to escalate. For the entire part of this exchange, he tried to distance himself from his Father's doing, but now he felt the offense burned him, and this one Baker had stepped out of his boundary.

"You are an interesting man, Master Baker. But I couldn't help but point out the faults in your ideals. You said you seek peace, but people like you often failed to be self-conscious... to realize there is something bigger than themselves. Those... who unfortunately barged into your establishment, those men, were the right hand of something bigger than you. Any wise man who truly seeks peace would let them be, and both parties would carry on with their lives, peacefully."

The elven man finally let out a thin smile, but he remained in silence, giving Silas a chance to continue.

"When you pray for the rain you have to deal with the mud as well, that's how the world works."

"Not the civilized world that I know." the reply came out sharper than Silas had expected. "I'm sorry to say this, but the rain and mud were always there, to each for their own purposes. It's just... there were always people like you who picked up the mud and throw it around thinking they have the right to decide who deserved to be smudged and who is not. You said people like us should be more self-conscious, but I gotta ask, are you self-conscious enough?"

"I am afraid it has nothing to do with the peace you seek."

"It does, on a grand scale. Your father has been scooping up mud for years, secured it in a large cauldron, and then added gunpowder into it, threatening to smear us all with something called war. He backstabbed his lord on the back, deceived him, and kidnapped his heir. You pushed a fair and reasonable man into madness, and now his wrath is focused on you, all who bear the name of Delving. What do you think he would do next?"

Silence ensued between the two, and Silas hated to be one who have to break through it.

"Master Baker, you think you know better than us," he said in a short chortle, then that smile faded, and a scowl replaced it, fire blooming in his golden eyes. "I think I understand my father's grievance a way better now. You, a foreigner, came to our kingdom and do whatever you please. For years we tolerated you and now you spouting nonsense as if you know about our homeland. Pardon me, but it is... insulting."

"You can call it whatever you want," the elven man shrugged. "doesn't change the fact that your King trusted his foreign agents better than you. Calm yourself, Ser Silas, I understand a man like you has a lot of things to not say."

"I don't have anything to say anyway." It was a pathetically thin veil of lie, and Silas himself had no idea why would he say something so easy to read like that.

"Maybe not, true. But I will do you a favor because it seems your path are destined to be intertwined anyway. You are dealing with a fanatically loyal Samurai, who shredded your associate's strongest champion to ribbons and burned his warehouses to the ground. His friend is a vicious scion of Rosenving who used to be your peer."

"With them is a legendary doctor cloaked in enough urban legend to make a storybook, and a Hybrid Bear who controls plants and weather. And finally, my former boss. They departed this midnight, dead set on liberating your prince. If you want to stop them you should go now, but I suggest you shouldn't"

"You advised me to not stop them after ratting them out?"

"The information I provided above can be easily gathered overnight by a trained spymaster, and the details about their departure were not given out of malice. Admiral Silas, I simply give you an opportunity to make a better decision. Better than what your father and younger brother picked for themselves."

He paused to look at Kirsten, who walked out of the baking area with a bright smile and a basket full of bread.

"The king's punishment will be severe and indiscriminate. Save your family from this madness."

After saying that, the elf picked up his gun and walked back to his counter.

"Those bread! How much do I owe you?"

"It's on me!" said the elf without turning back. "Not every day an Admiral having a brunch in my store."

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

The Admiral and his companions arrived at Hdur, though his official order was for his father's men to stay clear from the city, there was something that needed to be ironed out.

The infamous bakery was located in the middle of the town. Other than the inviting smell of freshly baked loaf, there was nothing extraordinary about it; a two-story wooden building that seemed to give off the impression of a humble establishment, it always has its windows and door open, and strangely seemed to have more room for a mere bread shop.

Silas knew a thing or two about the owner, a very friendly elven man his father once described as an utter eyesore, like the town of Hdur itself.

The admiral dismounted from his horse and ordered a junior officer to take their horses to rest in the nearby military barrack and bring fresh replacements.

"Stay here. This won't be long." Leaving Kirsten on the terrace, Silas and the rest of his men hurriedly entered the General store, meeting with the owner himself who seemed to have been waiting for him. The eldest of the Delving brothers gave the owner the antique money, but he refused.

"Keep your money! Our business... end." He glowered, making a cutting gesture with his hand. "I know what your father did, a terrible mistake. No, I refuse to have anything to do with it. Get lost!"

The admiral sighed, slightly taken aback by the unwelcoming gesture. He picked up the coin and asked earnestly.

"Please be civil, Master Stockton. Every disagreement can be sorted out, and--"

"No! Not this one kid! Not even your daddy could. You tell him that! Barked the owner again, this time he pointed at the door "Now! Do you have wood for ears? Get lost will ya! I have nothing to say anyway."

Silas nodded, and for that moment it looked like he was going to leave in peace. But his departure to the door was to ensure that it has been locked should.

If only the situation was not that dire, he would have laughed, or maybe smiled at the fat man's foolishness.

As Silas walked back to the counter, his men began to flank the innkeeper and apprehend him. A burly man he was but lacked any real physical strength. Certainly no match against two well-trained marines.

"What sandwich fuck are you---"

After some futile struggles, a rope was tied to his ankles. Those marines threw the rest of it on the ceiling beam while one of them elbowed him square in the face. And soon, the store owner found himself hoisted up, hanging upside down.

"Master Stockton, deepest apologies but I am not here on behalf of my father," said Silas, ordering his men to stop lifting him at eye level. His sword was drawn and pointed at the store owner's neck. "I am here for Fredricus' goons, and you are the only person with the connection."

The store owner was well past the part where he should scream. His head was as red as a tomato, and when of the marines stepped closer to beat him some more, he grunted and gushed out his breakfast toward the Marine's trousers and boots.

"Shit!"

"Right... clean yourself up." The admiral tossed a perfumed handkerchief at his soiled man, then returned to Stockton "And you better start talking unless you fancy dangling above your own puddle of puke for the rest of your days. Why did you give my father the wrong report? Who killed the Usuals? Was it the freelancers?"

After some more coughing and snorting the remaining stomach acid out of his nostril, the store owner blurted. "It was not them!"

"Who then?"

"First. Go fuck yourself and your daddy, you nitwit fuck!

Another marine stepped up and bashed his stomach with musket stock. "Answer the question, sir."

The store owner's large body swung like a literal punching bag, his stubby arms reached down, clawing the floor and his own puke, desperately trying to stop himself from the dizzying oscilation.

"Oh god! My leg! Fuck me, I don't know! I... as clueless as your men! They said when they tried to storm the Bakery this early morning their weapons suddenly yanked off them and glued to the floor. They only saw the Baker and his daughter, and this one young girl with a blindfold!"

"So none of them saw any of the Fredricus'agents?"

"thweep Ptah! Fucking no! And I too barely know about what they looked like except there should be a she-orc, elf, bear, two men, and two women among the group. None of the surviving Usuals saw any I described above yah! Because those who saw them are probably dead."

Exercising the utmost patience, Silas leaned forward and lowered his voice. "How did you know that?"

"What? Your daddy had more than two dozen men stationed here last night and now nearly all of'em are dead motherfuckers! Do you think this Baker and his gals did it, by themselves? Khack ptoyy!"

"The only person I saw riding out of town was a blonde man with some armored soldiers and they were heading to the capital city. That's why the report said the agents were still here because, fuck! That's all I know and your father wasn't a patient man!"

There was a pause. Silas walked closer to the man, looking at him in the eye.

"Master Stockton, did you see those agents or not?"

"Boy! I told you I or my men didn't see them!"

Smiling, the admiral turned around and sighed, time was running, and here he already spent more than what was allowed. "This is a general store? Correct? Where the local blacksmith gets their equipment? From you of course."

The marines began to thrash the place until they found a plier.

"The fuck are you guys doing! Hey! You've got what you wanted. Put me down, boy! Hey!"

"Gents! Master Stockton here is lying through his teeth, so now I want those teeth removed. Get on with it."

"No! No! I really don't know! Get off me you Delving bitch! No! Wrrrgrgg!!!"

Leaving the general store, Silas was saluted by his subordinate.

"Apparently yesterday Madame Matilda requisitioned several horses and a carriage for some unspecified reason, leaving only three steeds for us to borrow. Ser, you can have two for yourself and Miss Kirsten, but I am afraid the rest would need frequent rests."

Slightly annoyed by the muffled screaming coming from the store, Silas rubbed his temple before answering. "That can be arranged. Where is Kirsten, by the way?"

"Oh, I saw her going to the bakery."

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

When the door closed behind him, Admiral Silas Delving felt as if a weight heavier than this entire estate had fallen off his shoulder.

It was something he needed, a moment of calm, free from his father's incessant demand, so he could think better; examining this already rotten venture. Obviously, his father had a lot of trust in the defense system installed and he was right to do so. His decision to stay put was also sensible enough, all things considered.

All in all, the plan would have a very good chance of success.

If only they didn't have to deal with that one last piece.

Silas could see that the plan was starting to fall apart when Fredricus' hirelings dismantled Black Serpent. Forced his brother to retreat in the most shameful way imaginable, and then discovered his father's hidden armory. If a Delving family was personified, it would be in the form of a half-naked man presenting lies and deceit in front of the king to save his skin. With a small bit of reputation left to preserve his dignity and distant merit kept being echoed by an unseen supporter so the king would not behead this pathetic usurper.

Walking down the stairs, Silas was expecting to meet with his father's trusted aide, but he found one of Aaaron's informants instead, one unassuming sailor with a scrawny build. And he was bearing ill news.

"Some of Sir Jonas' 'Usuals' stationed at Hdur were found dead this morning, the rest went missing. Killed in a similar fashion; gunshot wound. Pinpointly aimed at the head or heart."

Admiral Delving, The Gold Saber listened with an uncannily calm expression. "Go on."

"A new team has been dispatched to look for the missing men, should we send a dozen more of our men to storm the bakery?"

The bakery was the suspected place where the freelancers had taken the refugee. Since this morning His father had instructed his men to create a ruckus in that place to lure them out. Not only did the team remain undisturbed, but those thugs were also beaten handily by the owner himself. And now the death of the Usuals standing by in that area further exacerbated the situation.

"Give up the pursuit." as he said that, his resolve was shaken. He did not look at the informant anymore, but rather a distant somewhere beyond the ornated wall of this manor, the place where the Achilles heels of this entire operation were being held hostage. "Tell everyone in your division to stay away from Hdur until further instruction."
"What about Master Jonas? Should I report this to him?"

"No. From now on you will only report to me, unless my father specifically asked for it. You are dismissed."
As the informant saluted him and went about his business, another person stepped up. "I have something to report too... master." She cooed, blocking Delving's way. "The house is squeaky clean and I would be more than happy if you could put in a good word for me next time you speak to our esteemed Father."

The admiral forced a bitter smile before giving his little sister a headpat. "Don't take Father's word to heart. He meant well."

The slight change in Kirsten's expression made him feel like an idiot. He lifted his hand, realizing he shouldn't have brought that up, but he himself didn't know what to say, and thus, that not-so-comforting word was left hanging between the two for a few awkward moments later.

"I... need to go." he said, even so, the eldest of the Delving Brothers was still trying to be lighthearted. "I would love to stay for a while, but you know nobody gets to relax after coming out of that chamber."
As he walked, Kirsten followed him by his side.

"Don't you hate it having to keep up the mask of admiralty? Shouldn't home be the place where you can let your guard down?" She said, tilting her body toward him before swirling to get his brother's attention by holding his hand. "This is your first visit after six month worth of expedition. Come on, at least have lunch with me!"

Kirsten would always be like that, a ray of sunshine in this gloomy place. He could imagine those hurtful words their father barked at her when he was not around, and it was equally hard to imagine that girl could still remain upbeat despite all things.

"Kirsten! Kirsten, listen to me," he called after realizing that the maid in front of him had towed him several steps already.

"I can't." He looked at her and smiled bitterly. And it was answered with two big amber eyes staring through her trendy black-rimmed glasses, right into his soul. That kind of stare that would make you feel bad to the core.

"Orders from Father, I know," she shrugged and walked away. For one moment Silas thought his sister was sulking until the young woman reached for one of the twin two-handed swords displayed above the fireplace and test-swing it with one hand.

"Well then, if a lunch can't sway you... I can go with you instead." Approaching Silas again, Kirsten leaned forward and gave him one of her most radiant smiles. "And this time I'll take no for an answer!"

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

_______________

A bolt of psionic lightning cracked, and Jazdia blocked it with her hand. In her better days, the pain would be intense and flinching and even stifling, but now she could only feel a chilling tremor from her damaged arm, and utter wrath.

The spell, though dampened by her unusually complex arcane wiring, managed to reach her head and messed up her perception. Trying to minimize the confusion, she deactivated her ultravision and aborted the ongoing enchantment. Another hand gripped the handle of her blade in anticipation, but nothing came within her range.

She could feel the wind picking up. Right here, in this very building, along with a series of foul language that would make even the toughest front liners blush. It took her several minutes to activate her eyes and figure out what was happening. Asevor was hovering away... which was not very surprising, and Cedar created a hurricane to intercept him right after he escaped the tower.

Thinking that she too was far from done with that old wizard, Jazdia walked toward the door and prepared her arrow.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

"So, that was all he had to say?"

Silas Delving sighed. "Correct."

His Father leaned on his chair. Though wrinkled by age, his lips sported victorious mirth. "As expected."

That word did not put the admiral at ease, not one bit, but he tried to erase all trace of uneasiness and straighten up his seating. None one minute Silas forgot that he was sitting in front of Jonas Delving, an absolutely austere man he was, with a rigidly ambitious outlook.

"The raid on the Black Serpent Headquarters has been a considerable setback, but we still have another card to play." Jonas Delving arose from his chair and lighted up a cigar. Though there was a hint of resignation in this tone, he was speaking with pride. "We almost had everything ruined due to your brother's incompetency. But with you here, Fredricus would not dare to push his luck."

Paused, the head of the Delving clan inhaled a puff, savoring it before exhaling expertly as if age did not deter him. A haze of burned tobacco curled above his desk before wafting toward the window. Jonas Delving might not be living in his prime anymore, but his bearing gives off an aura of a grizzled man that would not turn down a challenge.

"You know, had everything gone smoothly, I wouldn't have involved you to begin with." he continued, pointing to his eldest son with his lighted cigar. For the first time since he entered this room, Silas looked up. He knew where this was going.

"You don't have to repeat it."

"And you are supposed to be leading our fleet. Watching over our maritime border, to be ready to follow the order from the next new crown. Meche is weak, how many days do you think it would take to take over their coastal bases? A week? Two? There should be a war declared today if only that pathetic Fredricus did not hire those pesky investigators, and your brother's failure to contain their movement."

Silas did not say anything, although his expression clearly said he did not want to hear that. It was bad enough that his brother was dragged into this treachery. Now being put under the cart, he was stripped of all credibility and was now serving as nothing more than a designated punchbag for the aristocracy to blame. True his hubristic nature contributes to his failure, and in Delving Household you have to pay for your mistake with your head held high or be exiled. He simply wished that his father would acknowledge that Aaron's downfall was in his quest as a dutiful son and give the credit where it was due.

Silence again. At that time the door suddenly opened, and a woman nonchalantly sauntered in, bringing a cup of coffee and refreshment in a silver tray. Like both men in that room, her hair was golden, but slightly pale compared to the rest of the Delvings. She wore a black dress, with white trim and a frilly white apron donned in a way that highlights her curvaceous figure while still maintaining acceptable propriety. A black-rimmed glasses and a white ruffled headpiece complemented her appearance with elaborate yet humble elegance.

The woman let off a youthful smile as she placed the tray on the table in front of Silas. "Good to see you, big brother!"

"It's Admiral. Know your place and read the situation." the old man scoffed and looked at both the servant and the servings she brought in restrained disdain. "Also, I don't remember summoning any servant."

"Apologies, Master." she bowed deeply "I was thinking it is customary in our household to serve refreshments to our guests, especially to the esteemed Admiral Delving."

"The duty of a servant is to serve, not think."

The woman smiled earnestly, but the scorning continues.

"And next time, let the head maid handle it. I see that you are bringing that... A man like him has a class. Take that back with you, out of my sight!"

"Father, it's all right." Silas intervened. After sipping on the steaming coffee, he looked at the woman and returned the smile "Good to see you again. Kirsten."

The woman looked ecstatic she almost bend the tray she was holding, however, before they could continue their reunion, Jonas Delving stared at his son disapprovingly, then at that servant he barked. "What are you waiting for? You are doing me a disservice, Leave now!"

The woman bowed and left quickly. Whether she was smiling or sobbing when walking toward the door, nobody could have ever guessed. Silas shook his head and looked at his father in the eye "She was just trying to be nice. You don't have to do that."

"Doing what?"

"Father, all I ask is for you to look at my siblings the way you looked at me. Aaron did his best, you don't have to exile him, and Kirsten--"

"She is even a bigger failure." Jonas Delving blew the smoke out of his nostril and glanced at his son as if he had forgotten his origin. "What do want me to do? That half-sister of yours failed in her study, she lied to me, kicked out of the academy dishonorably. I have been so awfully generous to not let her rot in an orphan, and this is how she repays me? By canceling off a marriage and fooling around wasting my time and money? Insolent child! If she wants to spend the rest of her days here, she must pull her own weight."

"I was honestly glad the engagement was canceled. Nobody wants to be sold off to a new family like a prized pet."

When Jonas looked at him sternly, Silas realized that he had crossed the line.

"I didn't mean--"

"Careful. We all have our own duties. Our worth as human beings is measured by how well we perform our duties, that is the Delving's way. And I raised you and your siblings including that blasted wench with the same ideals. Enough about this trivial matter, I have something more important for you to take care of."

Jonas gestured for his son to be at ease, before continuing. "Yesterday Fredricus announced in front of the aristocracy that his son will be returned to the palace in three days. I know our current king is not a man who would give a promise, down to the exact date and place, if he doesn't have the confidence to fulfill it. Considering the circumstances we created, this is an alarming move."

"So you are suspecting the freelancers Fredricus hired got a wind on the location?"

"This will be easier to dismiss if it was based on suspicion alone. I tasked my regulars to check out the premises but they reported to me that the south bridge has been destroyed. There was no update from Pesti either."

"Did Von Kruber do that?"

Delving patriarch dipped the rest of the cigar into porcelain astray and turned to the window. "Could be, fearing the King's agents would come knocking on his newly renovated keep. If it wasn't him, except for Antigone, and a squad with hundred pounds of black powder, I don't think there was someone we know capable of dealing out this reckless amount of destruction."

Apparently, there was, but it turned out Aaron decided to be conservative in his report. And his father, despite being a shrewd man he was, had no inkling about the capabilities of the agent Fredricus hired. Or underestimating them. Quickly the admiral could point out another flaw in this entire plan, and it made his stomach churn. His father gambled big but did not play his card right, When would this madness ever end?

But to voice out his contention was another story. In this very chamber, the eldest son of the Delving brothers had always been his father's yes-man.

"Then we need to secure the keep." he baited. Part of it was merely to entertain his father's dangerous endeavor, and nothing more.

"The usual? I don't think we should do that." Said Jonas, attempting to pick up a new cigar but then putting it back again. "The keep is well protected by anti-scrying devices, we had decoys. Fredricus' hands are tied by his own anti-war policy, so why should we do anything bold by sending off our armed men?"

"What if the site has really been compromised? As we feared?"

Jonas snorted as if the very question annoyed him. "Asevor the Wizard is protecting the fort. Also, we have dozens of mercenaries standing by at Pesti. If someone attempted to scratch its wall I would have heard about it. All Fredricus had left is his freelancers, and the last time I heard they were still stuck in Hdur because they don't have any leads."

It took him a bit of a will to have his chiseled chin nodding to that explanation.

"So what is your order?"

"I need you to be my liaison. Remind Von Kruber that I expected the money we donated to be spent on something more useful for the cause, and I will be honored if he would attend the meeting on the 18th. Also, tell him to not do anything idiotic like destroying bridges. Our associates did a decent job framing this issue as an act of sabotage by foreign actors, but we all knew Fredricus isn't easy to fool. It's best to not attract unnecessary attention. That would be all."

"What about Fredricus' agents?"

"What would you do about them?"

_

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

There was no expression coming from the elf, only tilting her head slightly to acknowledge the choice Asevor had chosen. The deflected arrow on the wall pulsed once before its explosive charge detonated. Although there was a substantial distance between Asevor and the epicenter, splinters and crystalized fragments scattered about at lethal velocity.

Blasting him off guard, the wizard was still communicating with Solomon's undead when the explosion triggered, but the strike was deemed fair; As far as honor was concerned, the parley was between Asevor and her.

There was no sentimental reason, only a desire to eliminate the threat and ensure the chance of survival, first for her own, and the other comes second. Lurea sings in joyful whistles as the arrow launched toward the old man's center mass. Installed with a delayed fuse, it cared not about its target's switches, insurance, or whatever tricks he had in hand.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

The elven woman listened, yet the level of threat she displayed remained unwavering.

"Bold of you to assume we are standing on an equal footing. Disarm yourself and your magical enchantment at once, then I will let you live."

"Two!"

In that brief moment Jazdia looked at the magical construct, then at the wizard again. The potential was still unmeasured, yet its danger was apparent. Regardless the elf kept her composure, as if not giving it a proper damn Asevor wished she would. The luster in her eyes shows not only sheer determination but also restrained rage and madness.

"Look at me in the eyes. Do you think I care?"

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

The magical barrier reacted, causing her arrow to veer to the side and hit the wall next to the old wizard. It, however, failed to anticipate the frost attack from Solomon's summon and hit Asevor square on his back.

The old mage arched, while Jazdia deftly reloaded her arrow, ready to shoot a follow-up.

"Okay, you've got me. Parley."

The bow steadied, and behind it, a pair of hellish, heterochromatic eyes watched with an unwavering focus how Asevor's spells waned instantly. Yet, the man stood, leaning on his cane, his figures unshrouded, fragile, and proud.

The elven ranger was still holding the string, though she herself was arguably the most potent menace in this room, her arm was shaking slightly.

"You have three seconds to convince me why shouldn't I destroy you right here, right now," she said.

"One!"

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Ah, of course, that possibility again. Jazdia was so tired of this entire charade she did not look at the box again. What else could she do? Defusing a magic construct would require a specialized operator with specialized equipment, which she was not, nor equipped with.

...I will decipher the runes to find a means of opening the box safely. I want to avoid any other dead man triggers. Perhaps I can open the intended doorway.”

Added Solomon after his solemn refusal.

It was not good enough. Working with the undead was often as useful as working with crude automatons, or natural occurrences, and it was not counting her personal distaste towards those nature defiers. Her complaints were numerous, yet Jazdia chose to swallow it all and

"You don't have to to follow my command," she said firmly. "But I tell you this, I can see through his invisibility, and I saw that his defense is fading. What would happen if all goes according to the plan is Asevor will be forced to use up his shield to block my arrow, and should he really has nothing to defend himself, he will be down with one leg shattered to bits, but pretty much alive.

For half part of her speech, Jazdia maintained her usual deadpan expression, before gradually developing into a fit of anger and frustration. "Or if he died... I don't care! This situation has spiraled out of control and surgical action is no longer feasible. Asevor has to be stopped now, by any means necessary, why else do you think he chooses to stay? " After gripping her bow, and feeling the searing pain from her scalded skin in utter hatred, Jazdia hissed. "I value my life even more than any Princeling. I am done, really, it's just the two of us now, and I cannot let us dance to his tune any longer."

After what could be perceived as an act of lashing out, Jazdia left Solomon to do his thing and walked down to the next floor, enchanting several of her arrows along the way. By the fourth arrow, she glanced at one of the dilapidated windows and wished the sun would come out anytime now.

Carefully and quietly jumping down the ruined staircase, Jazdia's enchanted eyes scoured the entire room and immediately picked Asevor's silhouette. Exhausted and battered, silvery patches started to appear at the edge of her hair, and one of her eyes flickered with infernal color. Deciding to stay in that antechamber, she readied her bow and aimed, letting the arrowhead glow a bit more as Solomon's spectral summon entered her line of sight, flanking her target from the main door.

Taking a form of a well-dressed lady, she looked unnaturally fair for an undead, yet her outward beauty was rather balanced out by the sinister link that made her general appearance similar to a human with another human as a branch. Fortunately, Jazdia would soon realize that her neat appearance was not her only distinguishing feature. The conjoined undead would prove herself to be a quite formidable caster with her frost magic. Still, she could use a bit more guidance.

Shifting her aim left and right, Jazdia made eye contact with the undead woman while making a move to give the impression that she could not see Asevor. And that, before suddenly waved her aim toward the wizard himself and fired her arrow.